title: Some dubious premises in research and theory on racial differences. Scientific, social, and ethical issues.
abstract: The scientific premises for looking for statistical differences between groups designated as races (on somewhat arbitrary grounds) are questionable. The explanation of such differences in strictly biological-evolutionary terms is even more dubious. Studies of temperament, basic personality traits, disorders (such as antisocial personality), and specific genetic markers show that there is much more variation within groups designated as races than between such groups. Investigators and theoreticians interpreting such differences on the basis of limited sampling within the three broad racial groups should be careful to avoid selectivity and misrepresentation of data that serve racist ideology, and should be cautious about presenting their theories to the public through inappropriate media forums.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
mesh_terms: D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment